Tesla "Brain Drain" continues - Top Tesla executive, an Elon Musk confidant, leaves the company

[Zoidz]

Reuters

• Longtime Musk ally had key roles in North America and Europe
• Departure follows other high-profile exits at Tesla over past year-and-a-half
• Tesla faces declining EV sales, pressure to deliver robotaxis

June 26 (Reuters) - Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant Omead Afshar has left the electric-vehicle maker, three people familiar with the matter said on Thursday, another senior departure as the company grapples with slowing global demand.

Afshar's departure was reported earlier by Bloomberg News, which also reported that North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua had exited the company. Two of the three people who confirmed Afshar's departure to Reuters also said Ferrua had left.

One of those people said Afshar and Ferrua were close colleagues, so it was not surprising that both left around the same time. Another of the people said Ferrua has served as a direct HR adviser to Afshar.

The departure caps a series of executive exits over the past 14 months, driven by company-wide restructuring as Tesla slashed thousands of jobs and shifted its focus to AI-powered self-driving technology and robotics.
The departures included leaders in robots, batteries and public policy. The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot team, Milan Kovac, announced he was leaving this month, and top battery executive Vineet Mehta did so in May.

Chief battery engineer Drew Baglino, Rebecca Tinucci, who led the supercharging division, and global public policy head Rohan Patel left in spring 2024.

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[mkg3]

I believe it was more the case of him reaching his Peter principal position and did not perform.

It is what have you done for me lately position so no surprise given all the sales decline, regardless of the reasons.

 

[COdogman]

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Tesla had such a lead over everyone else in the EV space and they wasted the entire thing with their barely perceptible refreshes and betting big on their FSD system that is proving to be nowhere near the promised capability. Now they are trying to pivot to AI, but so is everyone else and they aren't doing anything to differentiate themselves there either.

Instead of spending his time bullshitting, Elon would have been better served worrying about making better cars. That's why there's a sales decline. Actual competition entered the market and all those cars are better. When Chevy has better interiors and appearance than you do, you have to know you're screwed.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

The Drive reports Afshar, VP of Sales US & EU, was fired.

 

[Riv_Ian]

.... because the cratering of sales was totally the VP of Sales fault

 

[COdogman]

.... because the cratering of sales was totally the VP of Sales fault

At Tesla everyone is accountable except the one person who should be... And since that person controls the board, it's unlikely they will pull out of this tailspin anytime soon.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

At Tesla everyone is accountable except the one person who should be... And since that person controls the board, it's unlikely they will pull out of this tailspin anytime soon.

Tesla has just one problem. Him.

 

[solaskaze]

There is no problem here, nothing to see, move along. You just replace those VPs with AI bots and continue. It will work just as well as FSD, but just a tad harder. … there’s no problem, everything is fine…

 

[Motoarzon]

More "gullible" naysayer news. People come and go from companies all the time for all kinds of various reasons. You are gullible if you believe the editors who write click bait headlines to appease their bosses and get a paycheck at the end of the week. But I guess these media outlets know more about the history of this person in their job and than what was said between HR and other execs in the meeting rooms. Who cares anyway, Tesla's business is sound and they will continue to wipe the floor with the rest of legacy auto for years to come.

 

[SoCal Rob]

Who cares anyway, Tesla's business is sound and they will continue to wipe the floor with the rest of legacy auto for years to come.

Exactly. Just like Tesla vehicles are appreciating assets and CyberTrucks are outselling all other EV pickups.

 

[Mailman1044]

So many experts on this site just can't stay out of the fray. Comments are just political hate which really doesn't belong here.

 

[COdogman]

So many experts on this site just can't stay out of the fray. Comments are just political hate which really doesn't belong here.

Your comment is the first I’ve seen mention politics

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

So many experts on this site just can't stay out of the fray. Comments are just political hate which really doesn't belong here.

Stay out of the kitchen if it’s too hot for you. And Tesla’s business affairs is not politics.

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